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_      Special  report 
C°nf  Pam  12^0^6 


SPECIAL  REPORT 


OF    THE 


MILITARY     BOARD, 


TO  THE 


LEOISLATUHE 


OF   THE 


STATE    OF    LOUISIANA 


BATON  JtOTlGE  I 

3 ,     M.    TAYLOR,    STATE    PRTNTER 

1861. 


*?. 


&. 


.1  /  ,i 


SPECIAL  REPORT 


To  the  Honorable,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Louisiana: 

The  undersigned,- appointed  at  your  recent  session  a  Military  Hoard,  un- 
der an  act  entitled  "  An  act  to  promote  the  formation  of  Military  Com- 
panies and  to  provide  for  arming'  and  equipping  the  same,"  beg  leavo 
respectfully  to  report  that  they  have  been  actively  engaged  since  their  ap- 
pointment in  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  act. 

That  unexpected  circumstances  have  occurred  requiring  prompt  action, 
in  which  they  have  taken  responsibility  not  contemplated  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, perhaps,  but  justified,  as  they  sincerely  believe,  by  State  necessity. 

These  matters  have  already  been  referred  to  and  explained  in  the  Mes- 
sage of  His  Excellency,  the  Governor. 

In  the  practical  execution  of  the  trust,  we  have  to  report,  that  we  have 
made  a  contract  for  the  purchase  of  five  thousand  stand  of  the  most  ap- 
proved small  arms  now  in  use  in  Europe,  with  ammunition,  accoutrements, 
etc.,  which, -with  the  arms  since  obtained,  and  some  slight  addition  to  be 
made  to  the  Artillery,  and  in  matters  of  detail,  will,  in  our  opinion,  be  all 
that  is  required  for  the  present. 

Under  the  provisions  authorizing  us  to  provide  for  the  formation  of  the 
Volunteer  Military  Companies,  we  adopted  the  following  regulations,   to 
wit : 
Regulations  for  the  organization  of  Volunteer  Companies,  adopted  by  the 

Military  Board  of  Louisiana,  at  Baton  Rouge,  December  -25th,  1860. 

1.  Each  full  Company  of  Infantry,  shall  consist  of  one  Captain,  one 
First  Lieutenant,  one  Second  Lieutenant,  four  Sergeants,  four  Corporals, 
two  Musicians,  and  not  less  thru  sixty  privates. 

2.  A  minimum  Company  shall  consist  of  one  Captain,  one  Second 
Lieutenant,  two  Sergeants,  two  Corporals,  two  Musicians,  and  thirty 
Privates. 

3.  For  a  Company  of  forty 'five,  and  less  than  sixty  Privates,  there  shall 
be  one  Captain,  one  First  Lieutenant,  one  Second  Lieutenant,  throe  Ser- 
geants, throe  Corporals,  and  two  Musicians, 


4.  A  Company  of  Light  Artillery  shall  consist  of  one  Captain,  two  First 
Lieutenants,  one  Second  Lieutenant,  four  Sergeants,  four  Corporals,  two 
Bugler*,  four  Artificers,  and  sixty  Privates.  To  be  armed  with  four  light 
field  guns. 

At  the  discretion  of  the  Board,  Sections  may  be  formed  in  locations 
where  full  Companies  cannot  be  organized,  with  one  Captain,  one  Second 
Lieutenant,  and  half  the  above  number  of  men. 

Resolved,  That  the  system  of  Tactics  for  Riflemen  and  Light  Infantry  by 
Lieut-Col.  Hardee,  is  hereby  adopted  as  the  basis  of  instruction  for  all 
Companies  on  foot,  and  that  a  sufficient  supply  be  obtained  to  furnish  one 
copy  to  each  Captain  with  the  arms  sent  to  his  Company. 

Ordered  by  the  Military  Board  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  That  the  fol- 
lowing Articles  be  subscribed  to  in  duplicate  by  all  members  of  Volunteer 
and  other  companies  to  whom  arms  and  equipments  (shall  be  furnished  by 
this  Board,  one  copy  of  which  shall  be  sent  to  the  Adjutant  General  of  the 
State,  before  the  said  arms  and  equipments  are  delivered,  and  the  other  re- 
tained among  the  archives  of  the  Company  : 

Article  1st.  We,  the  undersigned,  Officers,  Non-Commissioned  Officers, 

and  Privates  of Company,  do  hereby  agree  and  pledge  ourselves 

upon  the  receipt  of  commissions  to  our  Officers,  and  arms  and  equipments 
to  our  Company,  to  hold  ourselves  in  readiness  at  all  times  to  obey  the 
commands  of  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Louisiana  and  our  superior  offi- 
cers, in  entering  into  any  active  service  that  may  be  required  of  us. 

Art.  2d.  We,  the  Officers  of  said  Company,  hereby  agree  to  receipt  for 
and  give  bond  with  approved  security,  to  the  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Louisiana,  in  the  penalty  of  double  the  value  of  the  arms  and  equipments 
we  may  receive,  for  the  preservation  and  safe-keeping  of  said  arms  and 
equipments.  And  each  and  all  of  us  bind  ourselves  to  be  individually 
responsible  to  said  Officers  for  all  arms  and  equipments  we  may  receive, 
and  pledge  ourselves  to  keep  the  same  in  good  order  for  use ;  and  in  the 
event  our  Company  disbands,  to  return  the  same,  through  our  officers,  in 
good  order  to  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  State,  or  any  person  legally  ap- 
pointed to  receive  the  same. 

Art.  3d.  We  further  agree  and  bind  ourselves  to  attend  a  regular  drill 
of  our  Company  once  a  week,  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  be  appointed- 

Ordered  further,  That  the  following  shall  be  the  form  of  oath  to  be  ad 
ministered  to  the  Officers  of  Volunteer  corps  : 

"I,  elected  of  Company  do  solemnly  swear,  or  affirm, 

that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  the  Or- 
dinances and  Laws  which  may  be  passed  by  its  Conventions  and  Legisla- 
ture, .and  obey  the  commands  of  my  superior  officers,  and  demean  myself 
properly  whilst  acting  as  as  aforesaid. 

Which  regulations  were  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  State,  and 


printed  copies  were  extensively  circulated,  and  under  which  we  have  to 
report  Companies  as  having  formed  of  the  following  names  and  locations, 
to  whom  arms  have  been  issued  : 

COMPANIES.  CAPTAINS.  MEN. 

Crescent  Rifles Gladden 45 

Louisiana  Guards Todd .  100 

Orleans  riacachas,  No.  1  Abadie  70 

Atchafalaya  Guards R.  M.Boone  46 

Chasseurs  St.  Jacques A.  Roman 60 

Orleans  Bacachas,  No.  2  Duncan.... 56 

Montgomery  Guards Nolan  60 

Orleans  Cadets  Oreux 40 

Orleans  Light  Guards Vincent 42 

Bienville  Guards  of  Par. of  PlaqueminesWilkinson  60 

N.  O.  Home  Guards Muller 50 

Co.  1,  Orleans  Guards  G.  Crozart Ill 

"    2,         "             "       O.  Labatut  108 

"    3,         "             "       C.Roman 109 

"    4,         "             "       E.  P.  Poupard 61 

Terrebonne  Guards F.  S.  Goode 60 

Grosse  Tete  Guards W.  C.  Keep 45 

Thibodaux  Rifles T.  E.  Vick 60 

Shreveport  Greys  Y.  H.  Beard 80 

Assumption  Guards F.  T.  Nicholls 40 

Delta  Rifles H.  M.  Favrot    60 

Caddo  Rifles ..W.  R.  Shivers 80 

Clinton  Guards J.Y.Smith 56 

Pelican  Rangers    S.  M.  Hyams 38 

Carter  Minute  Men J.  W.  Fuqua 40 

Madison  Dragoons C.  H.  Moore 30 

Carroll  Guards Jno.  S.  Richards 38 

Lake  Providence  Cadets F.  Whicher 120 

We  also  report,  that  we  found  it  necessary  to  authorize  the  formation  of 
five  companies  of  volunteers  for  four  months,  which  were  mustered  into 
service  by  order  of  the  Governor,  to  take  charge  of  and  hold  the  public  pro- 
perty, under  such  compensation  for  officers  and  men  as  is  paid  in  the 
United  States  service,  and  we  respectfully  recommend  that  this  action  be 
approved. 

We  also  propose  to  direct  some  indispensable  work  to  be  done  on  the  forts 
in  the  State,  under  the  direction  of  experienced  engineers  and  workmen. 

Wc  have  had  the  services  of  a  number  of  the  volunteer  corps  tendered  to 
the  State,  but  as  most  of  them  are  composed  of  gentlemen  of  families  and 
business,  we  do  not  think  they  could  well  render  the  continued  regular  ser- 
vice required  by  the  State  under  existing  circumstances. 

We  think  it  deserving  of  honorable  mention  also,  that  among  our  free 
colored  population,  a  large  number  of  the  old  veterans  of  1812,  and  their 
descendants,  have  volunteered  their  services  to  the  State, 


6 

The  Board  would  earnestly  recommend  that  liberal  appropriations  be  made 
to  the  different  volunteer  corps  throughout  the  State,  and  especially  in  the 
city  of  New  Orleans.  The  officers  and  members  of  the  corps  have  incurred, 
and  are  constantly  incurring,  heavy  expenses,  and  arc  entitled  to  great 
credit  for  having  kept  up  their  organizations. 

Accompanying  the  report,. we  furnish  a  detailed  statement  of  the  amount 
drawn  by  the  Board,  out  of  the  appropriation  made  by  the  Legislature. 
Many  of  the  expenditures  are  not  such  as  come  within  the  letter  of  the 
law ;  but  they  were  expenses  necessary  to  be  incurred  in  the  emergency, 
and  properly  chargeable  to  the  State,  in  making  which,  the  Board  acted 
under  the  authority  and  with  the  advice  of  the  Governor,  and  with  all 
regard  to  economy  in  their  power.  Detailed  accounts  are  kept  by  the  dis- 
bursing officers,  but  accounts  are  not  yet  rendered  in  full. 

As 'a  matter  of  economy,  the  Board  urgeutly  recommends  the  creation,  at 
an  early  day,  of  a  Military  Bureau,  in  the  State  Government.  It  is  essen- 
tial for  the  economical  and  safe  disbursement  of  money  which  the  necessities 
of  the  service  will  require,  and  it  is  the  only  way  in  which  the  Executive 
can  be  relieved  from  a  pressure  of  military  details  which  now  absorb  a  large 
portion  of  his  time,  and  materially  interfere  with  his  appropriate  duties. 

A  limited  military  force,  to  be  regularly  enlisted  and  paid,  for  the  occu- 
pation of  the.  forts  and  arsenals,  is  urgently  recommended.  Our  citizens 
ought  not  to  be  expected  to  remain  voluntarily  in  the  discharge  of  these 
irksome  duties.  When  called  on  to  repel  invasion,  they  will,  no  doubt, 
respond  with  alacrity,  and  give  not  only  their  time,  but  their  lives,  if  neces- 
sity. But  before  that  emergency  arrives,  they  cannot  afford  to  leave  their 
homes  and  occupations  to  discharge  ordinary  garrison  duty,  even  if  mustered 
into  service  and  placed  on  pay.  And  it  is  a  well  established  fact,  the  ex- 
panse of  supporting  a  volunteer  force,  owing  to  a  want  of  system  and  knowl- 
edge of  details,  is  about  double  that  of  regularly  enlisted  troops.  We 
already  have  had  experience  enough  to  satisfy  us  of  this  fact.  It  is,  there- 
fore, recommended  that  a  regular  force,  of  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred 
men,  be  enlisted  and  organized  into  regiments  for  the  defense  of  the 
State. 

All  of  which,  is  respectfully  submitted, 

THOMAS  0.  MOORE, 

President  Military  Board. 

The  foregoing  was  already  prepared  and  ready  for  the  Legislature,  when 
a  call  was  made  by  the  Convention  of  the  State  for  a  report  from  the  Board. 
This  was  submitted,  and,  as  will  appear  from  the  proceedings  of  the  Con- 
vention, some  of  its  most  important  suggestions  adopted  with  great  una- 
nimity. A  supplementary  report,  on  the  subject  of  the  Militia,  is  imw  nearly- 
ready,  and  will  be  submitted  in  a  few  days, 
.  DatoxRougk,  February  14.  18QI. 


f 

List  of  Warrants  drawn  against  the  Appropriation  for  Military 
Purposes,  made  by  the  Act  of  December  12,  1861. 

1860.  Dec.  26.— To  Major  Theo.  Lewis,  for  2,500  muskets 

bought  of  the  United  State? $6,250  00 

Dee.  20. — To  Adjutant  General  M.  Grivot,  to  expend 

as  per  orders  of  the  Board ]  ,000  00 

1861.  Jan.  9. — To  J.  K.  Duncan,  Asst.  Adj't  (Jen.,  for  cur- 

rent military  expenses 250  00 

Jan.  12. —  For  Adj't  Gen.  Grivot,  to  expend   as   per 

order  of  the  Board 10,000  00 

Jan.  14. — To  .Moore,  'Burden  &  Co.,    proprietors    of 

wharf  boat,  board  and  quarters  for  troops,  257  00 

Jan.  17. — To  P.  II.  Thomson,  for  current  expenses  of 

the  Commissary  Department 2,500  00 

Jan.  17.— For  Col.  W.  T.  Sherman,  Ordnance  officer, 
Central  State  Arsenal,  to  provide  for  the 
transportation  and  storage  of  arms 500  00 

Jan.  28. — For  M.  Grivot,  for  current  military  expenses 

as  above 10,000  00 

Jan.  28. — For  Col.  W.  T.  Sherman,  one  year's  salary 
as  Ordnance  officer  (  No  regular  appro- 
priation.)   500  00 

Jan  30.— To  P.  11.  Thomson,  Q.  M.  and  C.  S.,  Baton 
Rouge  Arsenal,  for  debts  and  supplies 
for  February,  1861 '  750  00 

Jan.  30. — To  H.  Oladowski,  Captain  of  Ordnance, 
Baton  Rouge  Arsenal,  for  salary  and 
pay  of  men  for  January,  1861 663  9 1 

$32,670  91 


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